EXCLUSIVE: Celebrity Coroner Declares Natalie Wood's Waterlogged 40Lbs Parka May Have Caused Her Drowning — 'She Might Have Lived if She'd Taken it Off'
Hollywood Coroner Dr. Thomas Noguchi determined Natalie Wood's heavy parka most likely caused her to drown.
Jan. 23 2025, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Natalie Wood's heavy parka might’ve been the real "weight" behind her tragic fate.
In the new biography L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, author Anne Soon Choi exposes how the "Coroner to the Stars" believed Wood's clothing played a key role in her 1981 drowning after performing her heartbreaking autopsy, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Wood's body was found wearing a flannel nightgown, wool socks, and a red parka after she went missing aboard her family's yacht.
The book dives into Dr. Noguchi's innermost thoughts when examining the 43-year-old star's body after she was discovered floating near Catalina Island just off her family's yacht.
Wood, known for her iconic roles in Gypsy, West Side Story, and Miracle on 34th Street, was found wearing a flannel nightgown, wool socks, and a red parka.
Wagner admitted he and Walken had gotten into a heated argument before his wife disappeared.
While the mystery of her death persists – fueled by speculation of a fight with her husband, Robert Wagner, and high levels of intoxication – exclusive findings from Dr. Noguchi's autopsy have cleared up some of the fog.
Examining Wood's body, Noguchi first noticed a large bruise on her right arm, multiple more on her legs, and an abrasion on her left cheek.
He then switched focus to her clothing, immediately noting how over 24 hours later, her nightgown, socks, and parka were still drenched.
It was then the Hollywood chief coroner came to a shocking conclusion about Wood's outfit choice the night she died.
Choi wrote: "When he scrutinized the parka more carefully, he realized it weighed between thirty to forty pounds in its saturated state.
"Her sodden parka had caused her to drown. He was filled with sadness.
A new biography says toxicology reports declared Wood had a blood alcohol level of .12 when she died.
"The weight of her jacket had pulled her back down when she attempted to climb into the dinghy."
Noguchi believed if Wood had "just taken off the jacket, she might have survived."
Despite the conclusion, Noguchi was "still puzzled" at why the actress failed to simply swim back to her yacht after falling into the water, as it was only a few feet away.
The questions led the coroner to seriously consider Wood's alcohol consumption in the hours before her fatal plunge, with toxicology reports determining she had a blood alcohol level of .12.
Wood's official cause of death was listed as 'drowning' in the coroner's report.
Dr. Noguchi quickly concluded "alcohol played a significant role in her death," Choi noted.
The coroner also questioned whether Wood might have been trying to escape her husband that night, though the reasons remained unclear.
Choi explained: "Noguchi knew this was true. The other related question was why she didn't return to the yacht when she fell into the water — she was, he thought, determined to get away."
Dr. Noguchi would later be told by an investigator an argument had occurred between Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, who was also on the yacht for the holiday weekend.
Choi said Dr. Noguchi recalled: "All of us were taken aback by the implications of this idea. It fell right into the hands of those who had been speculating that some scandal on the yacht had contributed to the famous star's death."
Shortly after Wood's body was found, Wagner told authorities he initially realized she was missing after a night out with Walken – but only later realized the dinghy was gone and called for help.
Legal expert Nancy Grace slammed the original autopsy for overlooking crucial details
By then, it was too late.
While the alleged fight was initially dismissed by Wagner's attorney, the actor himself later confirmed he and Walken "had been drinking and did in fact argue over Walken's belief that Wood was not devoting herself to her acting career as fully as he was."
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Choi then revealed: "Wagner admitted that he had shouted at Walken, 'Why the f--k don’t you stay out of her career? She’s got enough people telling her what to do.'
"Wagner then picked up an empty wine bottle and smashed it on a table in a fit of rage."
Wood's official cause of death was listed as "drowning" in the coroner's report.
But Wagner, now 94, has remained a person of interest in his late wife's death since that fateful night, with investigations still open.
Just last month, a new witness claimed he heard Wood scream for help before she disappeared from the yacht and has urged authorities to indict her husband for murder.
Wood's cause of death was revised to 'drowning and other undetermined factors,' a conclusion Dr. Noguchi is said to have supported.
In November, two more witnesses came forward claiming Wood was physically abused by Wagner, prompting author Marti Rulli to believe these confessions could lead to a grand jury investigation and an eventual indictment.
Legal expert Nancy Grace slammed the original autopsy for overlooking crucial details, leading to the case being reopened in 2011.
The cause of death was revised to "drowning and other undetermined factors," a conclusion Dr. Noguchi is said to have supported.
